LEADERSHIP UNDER SEVERE STRESS: A Grounded Theory Study

Critique by Alexandra Siek SJSU LIBR 285 Fall 2011

Topic and method of study

GOAL of 1998 study: to develop a theoretical understanding of

leadership under severe stress from a performance-oriented perspective. (Larsson, 441) No given definition of performance oriented perspective; did define severe stress as well as grounded theory approach. METHOD employed: Grounded theory. Grounded theory= an inductive approach to the study of social life that attempts to generate a theory from the constant comparing of unfolding observations. (Babbie, 307) Method seems to fit goal.

Selection of subjects
16 informants selected. 8 Swedish participants: male officers, ages 25 55.
Chosen based on personal knowledge by authors and background

of varying experience in stressful leadership positions. 8 Norwegian participants: 4 male officers; 2 female and 2 male psychologists. Ages: 38 47. Chosen based on background of varying experience in stressful leadership positions. Three of the psychologists worked there and took part in the study. (Larsson, 442) Selection of males vs. females; reliance on available subjects might result in bias. Scientists acting as subjects high possibility for conflict of interest, lack of objectivity, and impact / effect on what is being observed. Participants as informants by nature marginal, potential for bias.

Data Collection
In-depth interviews; follow up group interviews for

Norwegian subjects only to stimulate participants to come up with additional points of view. Questions differed slightly between the two groups. No raw data or codes were provided in article or as addenda; impacted extent of this critique. Possibility: follow-up interviews with Swedish informants via teleconferencing? Difference in questioning can lead to different results uniformity among all should have been the goal.

Data Analysis
Interviews were transcribed

verbatim; consecutively analyzed via

CONSTANT COMPARITIVE METHOD. First reported step was OPEN CODING: scrutinized data to ID

patterns of thought, feelings, & actions related to interview themes. Axial coding also seems to have occurred. Formulated 950 codes off of participant language. Compared codes to verify and confirm content, grounding. Integrated categories through sorting codes into categories; performed comparisons between categories; and between categories, codes, and interview protocols. (Larsson, 442) Engaged in delimiting theory - fitted together the categories using constant comparative method.

Data Results
After fitting together the categories, authors articulated

model of leadership under severe stress and the underlying circumstances. (Larsson, 442) E.g. isolated general classes of leadership characteristics under severe stress as well as numerous subclasses. Authors also identified dominant recurring themes throughout the study. MAIN VALUE OF STUDY: data-based map of leadership during incidents of high stress or severe crisis, with the codes and categories that make up this dimension, as well as the codes and categories in the dimension underlying circumstances.

Limitations and need for further study;

Conclusion
LIMITATIONS ACCORDING TO THE AUTHOR: the information obtained has not been gathered with the intention to permit a complete analysis of these underlying circumstances [of severe stress] per se and in constructing [their] current model [they] were limited to data obtained from a selected group of military officers, soldiers, and psychologists. 2-5 years passed between the stressful incidents and the interviews in the case of the Swedish subjects. ADDITIONAL LIMITATIONS AND PROBLEMS: while the aims and

goals of the study as well as data analysis seemed on track, from the limited perspective of this reviewer, some aspects of participant selection and data collection seem fraught with error.